Diaphanous | Hua Cheng X Reader X Xie Lian

Chapter 35: A Wish Granted

Taking in a breath (Y/N) turns around to face the man sitting on the throne before her. Her head drops in a bow as she shows her respect to him.

The loud banging which echoed through the room seemed to be ignored by the two Heavenly Officials within the room. (Y/N) remained in the bowed position, not uttering a word.

"What is the reason you wish to speak with me?" The Heavenly Emperor questions. He sat with one leg crossed over the other. His left arm rested on the armrest of his chair, holding up his head.

"I wish to be banished" (Y/N) states, cutting straight to the point. She didn't wish to dally on anything and get what she could over with as soon as possible.

A long silence fell in the room. (Y/N) had still refused to move from the bow, hoping that it would lead him towards allowing her to go. She didn't know how much longer she could handle emotions such as this. How much longer she could live with the guilt of knowing that everything which had happened since finding Dai Lu was her own fault.

Her eyes traveled to her hands which held the red ribbon tightly. The grip she held around it tightened ever so slightly, her nails digging into her palm. Red dripped onto the floor staining the marble below her. The pain which she was supposed to feel, only felt dull.

"You understand what would happen if I were to allow that?" His deep voice cut through the room chilling the air around her "The consequences you would face, becoming mortal again."

For the first time she looks up. The sound of banging on the doors grew quiet around her, as the air stilled waiting for her response. With sullen eyes she stared into his own, no expression evident on her face.

She knew all along what would happen, a nagging in the back of her mind reminded her of her last moments as a mortal. She had taken her last breath in the arms of Hua Cheng, and yet, somehow she was granted life once more. Though this time tasked with caring for animals as if they were her own children.

If she were to become mortal again, there would no longer be anyone to care for the trees, or the animals which lived around them. But even then, would she be able to care for them in the mental state she was in? Absolutely not. Perhaps Lang Ying could take her spot and care for the forest as it has cared for them. After all, she could rid the world of two more evils along with herself if she were to become mortal.

"Yes I know."

Her tone was mellow, no hesitation within her voice. The eyes which stared at The Heavenly Emperor showed she truly knew what her consequence would be. How rather than bore a cursed collar, she would bear a worse burden. Death.

With a sigh, Jun Wu had raised his hand, ready to answer her request.

Before he could a loud bang echoed in the room as the doors to the room slammed open. Bright lights lit up the area as the sun shone brightly in the room.

(Y/N) turned her head, surprised at the loud noise. She never expected Ling Wen or Mu Qing to ever cause such a disaster to happen, especially to the Heavenly Emperor's palace.

She was right in that belief, rather, Xie Lian had stood at the door, taking in the sight before him.

He felt as if the burden on his heart lightened, spotting the familiar girl kneeling on the floor. She stared at him with an unreadable expression. She seemed as though she couldn't believe he was actually there before her and that's most likely exactly her thought. Regaining her composure she turns back to Jun Wu bowing her head once more.

"Please grant my wish" She whispers, acting as though Xie Lian was just a figment of her imagination.

Xie Lian had raced to her side kneeling beside her as he tried to get a good look at her face. Unable to see her expression, he turns to Jun Wu.

"Please, do not grant her wish, I beg of you" Xie Lian replies staring up at Jun Wu who sat on the throne. He had not once given a response, rather let the situation unfold before him. Before he could respond once more (Y/N) had spoken up.

"It is my wish, you do not get to decide whether it is granted or not" She glares. Though, her anger didn't scare Xie Lian as she had hoped, rather it made him more determined.

"What about the forest? The animals? Lang Ying? Who will feed him when you are gone? Who will care for the birds and the trees like you do?" Xie Lian gives her questions, hoping that maybe such questions would make her realize her importance to the world. Her importance to him and Hua Cheng. "We can still find a way to defeat your parents without you sacrificing yourself, we could find their ashes instead! That could be a solution, sure it may take longer but it'd be better than losing you."

"Well either way, they would pass on, this was just the harder choice, sacrifices must be made" She replies bluntly. The questions he had spoken never reached her ears.

It appalled Xie Lian at the girl's determination to die. It may have been the quickest way to solve this situation, but it wasn't the only way.

"Do not grant whatever she had asked for" Xie Lian states once more, standing to his feet. Jun Wu raises his hand, waving it in the air.

"I never planned to grant such a wish anyway, she has yet to do anything wrong." He states. Standing from his throne he approaches the girl kneeling before him placing a hand on her hand.

"Know, Han (Y/N), no matter how alone you feel, we are always with you. The Heaven Realm is your home now, it always has been since you became a god. Anyone here can help you." Jun Wu states turning from her and walking off to another area of his palace. "You were chosen to care for the forest because there is only one you in this world. So don't think I'd let you sacrifice yourself so easily either"

She once more looked up at Jun Wu, her vision cloudy as the words he spoke calmed her down enough to think properly, she truly was letting her depression cloud her mind. Perhaps there was another way she could find, turning her head and meeting the gaze of Xie Lian, who had once more kneeled beside him.

Her hand reached up to touch his face, feeling a warm liquid run down his cheeks. Her eyebrows raised in surprise as she placed her other hand to his cheek wiping away the tears that she had never seen him shed. His own hands came to rest on her own leaning forward as he rested his forehead against hers.

"You're real" She whispers, her own voice shaky at the reality which had come to hit her.

With one swift movement she had wrapped her arms around him tightly burying her head into his shoulder. "I thought you were imprisoned, Dai Lu said you were captured by my parents..."

"It was a lie" Xie Lian replies, wiping the rest of the tears which fell. He wrapped his own arms around her, relieved he had come when he did. "Dai Lu lied to you"

"Dai Lu? No..." (Y/N) gasps in shock, pulling away from the hug to look up at him. Her eyes swarmed with betrayal as a tightening feeling could be felt in her chest.

Before she could begin to weep, Xie Lian pulled her back into the hug. "Hua Cheng is dealing with some ghosts at the moment, but as of now we should get back and come up with a plan. It should be the last plan we have to make now that we know all the information."

(Y/N) wordlessly nods her head, her arms hanging limply around Xie Lian. Her mind was racing with possible ideas and plans, yet she did not wish to move.

"Can we stay like this for just a moment longer?" Her words were muffled by the fabric of his clothes, yet he heard her perfectly. A chuckle escaped his lips as he ran a hand through her hair.

"Of course."

And that was exactly what they did, stayed in each other's embrace longer. Though neither could complain.